De La Hoya interrupted his golf game at Pebble Beach to address what he sees as major issues in the sport. He posted a video expressing his frustration with American boxing, claiming fighters are unwilling to face each other and demand too much money.
"Playing at beautiful Pebble Beach, but I had to stop my golf. It's so frustrating. Boxing right now is just dull, especially here in America. Boxers don't want to fight each other."
The former champion, known as "The Golden Boy," proposed a fight between Zayas and Vergil Ortiz Jr. He suggested hosting the event in Las Vegas, broadcasting it on pay-per-view and DAZN, and promoting it as a Mexico vs Puerto Rico matchup.
De La Hoya accused Zayas of wanting to fight in Puerto Rico without a proper television platform. He questioned how this would be possible, given Zayas' promotional situation.
"A perfect example, Xander Zayas. We have a perfect fight for you on a silver platter. Pay-per-view. Let's do it from Las Vegas. You keep saying you want to go to Puerto Rico? How? Your promoter doesn't have any television platform. Where are you going to fight, f***ing OnlyFans?"
The Golden Boy Promotions president emphasized the importance of television deals in organizing significant fights. He pointed out that his company has access to both DAZN and pay-per-view platforms.
De La Hoya expressed his eagerness for the current era of boxing to end, criticizing fighters who he believes are avoiding tough matchups and making unrealistic demands.
"Buddy, we have DAZN. We have pay-per-view. We have the date, you and Vergil, Mexico and Puerto Rico, it's huge. What are you waiting for? Let's do it. I mean, this era here - I can't wait for this era to end; just boxers who don't want to fight and are literally cowards. They want to do it for millions extra and this and that. No, let's be realistic here. PPV, DAZN, Vergil Ortiz, Xander Zayas. Let's do it, Las Vegas. What are you waiting for?"
De La Hoya's comments have drawn attention to ongoing issues in the boxing industry, including difficulties in negotiating fights and criticism of boxers' willingness to face tough opponents. The situation highlights the complex relationships between promoters, fighters, and television platforms in modern boxing.